Expanding the Ranks
by theflailingpen
Summary: Tseng was told to expand the ranks. He was told to get HIM. Like he would join the turks...again. Or maybe he would. All he knew was that if he didn't get a hot cup of coffee soon, he would go insane.
1. Cold Coffee

**So I don't own FFVII or any of the characters. Yet...**

Tseng shouldn't have come to work today.

Reason number 1: The paperwork. He signed yet another meaningless paper and placed it in the out box on his desk. The in box stood a good foot high, and probably would grow here soon. Why did the Turks, an organization standing at three people, not including himself, have so much paperwork?

A crash echoed through his office, along with muffled yelling.

Reason number 2: His employees. He glanced up to see Reno fleeing down the hall, followed by an angered Elena, who was carrying a baseball bat.

"Where did she get that?" Tseng thought as he sipped the coffee sitting on his desk.

He frowned. It was cold. He sat it back down, signing his name with a flourish of his pen. Another crash and more screaming resounded through the floor.

"Why are your employees running rampant about my building?"

He looked up to find President Rufus standing in his door. He shrugged, taking a sip of the coffee. He frowned. Still cold.

"There is a board meeting later today," He said, entering his office.

Reason number 3: The board meetings. Shinra company board meetings achieved exactly the opposite that board meetings were supposed to achieve, which was something. Shinra board meetings achieved absolutely nothing. Scarlett texted the whole time, while Reeve stared at Scarlett. Heidigger slept through them, and Palmer used them for the free donuts. Tseng usually worked on his sudoku, grumbling about the ever-growing pile of paperwork that was sitting on his desk.Rufus did what he wanted to anyways, so the meetings themselves were useless.

Tseng glanced up at the President, who was now sitting across from him.

"Is there something you need sir?" Tseng asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes," Rufus said, crossing his legs, "I believe the Turks need to expand their ranks."

Reason number 4: More stupid people that he takes the blame for.

"Did you have anyone in mind, sir?" Tseng asked, frowning at the idea.

"I was thinking that _he_ might be good for this job."

"Sir, he more than likely will not join our ranks." Tseng added.

"That may be true, but it doesn't hurt to try." He said, standing.

"Yes sir," Tseng said, rising to shake his hand, knowing that if he didn't get him in, he would be out.

Rufus exited the office, his white coat trailing behind him.

Tseng picked up the envelope sitting on the pile of paperwork. He opened it to find a letter of notification. Tseng frowned. It was a pay cut.

Reason number 5: Cheap employers.


	2. Recruitment

"Why did they send ME on this mission?" Reno mumbled as he stood in front of the large iron gates of Shinra Mansion. Even though this place had recently been refurbished, it still freaked him out. Reno pushed the gate open enough for him to slip through. It closed with a loud bang behind him. He walked up to the door.

"Remember, calm, cool, and convincing," He said to himself.

He straightened his tie. Damn Tseng, making him wear a tie, it made him feel claustrophobic.

He reached up and knocked loudly.

"No answer," Reno mumbled five seconds later, "Must not be-"

The door swung open. No one was there. At least, no one at eye level...

"Vincent!" He heard a small voice yell, "It's the stupid turk guy!!"

He looked down to find Marlene, the kid that Barret guy was taking care of.

"What are YOU doing here?" She asked, giving him a funny look, "Cloud's house is down the street."

Reno smiled. She was a cute kid.

"I'm not here to see Cloud," He said, stepping in the door.

"You're here to see Vincent?" She asked, and Reno nodded, "He's in the kitchen! Come on, this way!"

She grabbed his hand, leading him into the fancy kitchen. Valentine sat at the table reading, an empty plate in front of him. He looked up when Marlene entered the room.

"Vincent, the turk guy came to visit!" She said cheerfully, hopping up in the chair.

Reno felt the heat of his gaze. He gulped. This guy freaked him out.

"Is there something you need?" He asked, looking up from his book.

"Well," Reno started, "Yeah, but can we talk privately?"

Vincent looked over to Marlene, who stood, "I'll go back to Cloud's,"

Reno sat across from Vincent, waiting for the door to close.

"What is it you need?"

"Tseng...well, Rufus too, want..."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow at him.

"They...wantyoutojointheturks."

"What?" Vincent asked, surprise flickering over his face.

"Yeah," Reno said, looking down, "Something about expanding the ranks,"

"No,"

Reno had expected that, "Why not?"

"I..." Vincent started, standing, "I'm busy..."

"I can see that," Reno spat, glancing around the room.

Vincent ignored him, placing his plate in the sink.

"C'mon Valentine, you've got nothing better to do!" Reno said, standing.

"I..." Vincent started.

"You know it's true," Reno said, walking out of the room.

He made it to the door, when he heard Vincent behind him.

"I'll think...I'll think about it."

Reno smiled, and opened the door. That was a hell of a lot better than no.


	3. Thoughts

Vincent sat at the bar of New 7th Heaven, Tifa's Nibelheim branch.

"What do you want to do?" She asked him, cleaning glasses.

"I...don't know," Vincent said, staring at the glass in front of him.

"You need to decide for yourself, Vincent," She said, setting a glass down, "Don't worry about making us happy."

He frowned. None of them would give him a straight answer, just all of this 'do what you want to do' crap. How could he do what he wants when he doesn't know what he wants to do? Sometimes he missed the voice in his head. Chaos would always give him a straight answer. He was never in silence, never had time to really think. Now that he could, he didn't know what to do with his time.

"If you want my personal opinion, then do it," Tifa said finally.

Vincent looked up at her.

"I mean, I'm not the fondest of them, but they're obviously trying to change. And honestly, Vincent, I think it would be good for you. You'd be out, doing things, and it's something you've done before. They could learn a lot from you. Just...be easy when you tell Barret..."

She laughed, "Better yet, tell him over a phone call, for safety's sake,"

He smirked. Barret was the only one he hadn't asked, already knowing what his answer would be. Wait, there was one other he hadn't asked...

"Where's Yuffie?" He asked, noting the silence of the bar.

The sporadic ninja was absent from the bar, and no one had seen her in weeks.

"I'm guessing her father finally got her back to Wutai."

"I seriously doubt that."

They both turned to find Cloud coming through the door.

"Back already?" Tifa asked as he sat down by Vincent.

"Short trip," He said, pulling off his gloves.

Vincent stood. He looked up at Tifa.

"Thank you," He said, turning silently.

His cape flared out behind him as he slipped out the door of New 7th Heaven.

Tifa smiled. She knew she wouldn't be seeing much more of that cape.


	4. Change

**I have one review...feels pathetic**

**Vincent says you should review!**

**Vincent: glares**

**Okaaay...maybe he DIDN'T say that, but he might...**

Vincent ran his fingers through his hair. Or rather, what was left of it. He wanted a change anyways, so this gave him an excuse. It was similar to how it was thirty years ago, but longer in the back. He straightened his tie and looked himself over in the mirror. Navy blue suit, white shirt, black tie. His golden claw was missing, he wore two black gloves instead. He hesitated at the door. Should he go see them first, or go straight there? After all, she did convince him.

He quickly opened and closed the door, locking it behind him. He walked through the streets of Nibelheim, stopping in front of the New 7th Heaven. There were no lights on, no sign of life. He turned, walking straight out of the town to the car that awaited him.


	5. Experience

**Me: What is that? Are those reviews I see?**

**Tseng: No. It's just a figment of your imagination.**

**Elena: I actually think that is Cloud...in a tutu...**

**All: glances**

**Tseng: Well I'll be...**

**Me: Looks like that mako poisoning finally got to him.**

**So, to help Cloud and his newfound mental state, you should review... and send your money...all of it.**

Tseng wasn't at all suprised when he found Vincent in his office the following morning. A turk from his time would have no problem picking a lock. Or two. Or five. And disarming an alarm system or two. And getting past night guards. But how he managed to trick the motion sensors is what baffled him.

"Good morning Mr. Valentine." He said as he stepped through the door.

"Good morning Tseng," Vincent said from his seat adjacent to his desk.

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost any of your skill," He said taking a sip of his coffee.

It was cold. Tseng frowned, glancing up at Vincent. He looked different. His hair was shorter, almost like the old picures Tseng had seen of him.

"When do I start?" Vincent asked, his voice quiet and husky.

Tseng smirked. That was no suprise. He was always buisness first.

"As soon as we get your paperwork drawn up," He said

Tseng heard a yell from down the hall. It was eight in the morning and they were already starting. He siged and took a sip of his coffee. Still cold.

-T-

Vincent sighed. Whey were they making him, the deadliest marksman in all of Gaia, take a shooting evaluation. He could do this in his sleep. He easily fired through the bullseye then, just for show, shot through it again.

"Are we done?" He asked frustratedly.

Elena scooted back a few steps, "Uh...y-yeah...I guess."

'I knew he was good, but geez,' Elena thought, 'And he's kind of cute.'

She blushed a deep scarlet, then quickly walked out the door. Vincent stuck the gun in his holster, then followed her out the door. He wasn't used to such a small, wimpy gun. He missed Cerberus, his birthday present from AVALANCHE. It had been lost in the fight with Omega. All they could find was the keychain, dangling from a pipe that was jutting from the ruins.

"What next?" He asked as they walked down one of many long hallways in the new Shinra building.

"I...I belive that's it..." Elena said meekly.

Vincent sighed, hearing the doubt in her voice. This was going to be a long day...


End file.
